The First Snow

PART VI: Sandor

When Sandor woke, the girl still tucked into his arm he couldn't see the room was black but he could feel the loamy dirt covering his body, at some point the thin plaster had given way.

He released her pushing off the bunk.

"Girl" he pushed at her. Arya sat up hitting her head in the process.

Sandor chuckled. He couldn't remember the last time he laughed.

"Fuck you." She scooted away from him. "Help me find the bloody door, I can't see anything."

He heard her tripping through the room then heard an "oomph" she was back at his side again.

"We have been buried." her voice wasn't as strong.

Sandor moved for forward sliding his foot slowly across the ground as not to trip, finding the handle of the door he pulled once, twice then it finally opened or fell away. The hall was gone he was looking at daylight.

Arya hesitated. "What if it comes back?"

"I suspect it will but waiting is not going to improve our odds" The stairs were still intact he walked up them, waiting to be attacked.

The earth looked like it had been pummeled, trees had been leveled and great gouges bisected the earth.

Sandor's armor had become burdensome. If they were going to move quickly he would have to leave it. He shed it as they walked, the more he removed the more exposed he felt. Soon he was left with nothing more than leather gauntlets and a cotton doublet.

Arya stared at him as if he had grown another head but she kept pace.

"I don't understand how there could be a Dragon massive enough to do this and no one has seen it." Arya kept her eyes between his shoulder blades she was afraid to look left or right.

"I don't know either."

"Are you sure it was a Dragon?" Arya questioned.

"What else do you suppose it could be?" Sandor looked for a more sheltered path.

"White Walkers?"

Sandor laughed. "Girl, do you know what white walkers are?"

"Old Nan said they were great monstrous beasts that ate everything in their path."

"That is true they do eat what's in their path but white walkers are nothing more than dead men who walk"

"If there just men, why does everyone fear them." Arya caught up to Sandor.

"It makes them bloody tough to kill" "Girl, we will be at the Inn at Crossroads by tomorrow you best keep your mouth shut when we get there, I am known there and we will keep to the shadows. If anyone asks we are merchants who had our wares stolen on the road by brigands."

"You're a giant, no one will believe it" Arya stomped in front of him.

"I'm no giant, they top those trees besides you got a better idea girl?

"No" Arya responded then a few moments later asked. "Do giants really exist?"